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An Old Faith in the New World: 355 Years of American Judaism (1:19:15)
Relatively new on the scene, the American Jewish experience is a work in progress that has already had a major influence on Jewish and American life. This fascinating presentation will trace the development of American Judaism from its dawn in 1654 to the present day, pointing out the elements that have made it unique. Jonathan D. Sarna is the Joseph H. and Belle R
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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To be a Jew in the Free World, Lesson 2: Free to Serve (1:13:53)
Lesson Two: Freedom For All In 1790, after leading a revolution in the name of liberty, George Washington affirmed the divine and inviolable freedoms of America's tiny Jewish community. What is freedom? Is it indeed liberating to do as we please? Perhaps freedom is about something much deeper, more meaningful, and fulfilling!.
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
Rabbi Shraga Sherman (137)
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1:10:04
To Be a Jew in the Free World, Lesson 3: Doing it My Way (1:10:04)
Lesson Three: Judaism of our Choosing The failed attempt to establish a chief rabbi in New York in the 1890s demonstrated the weakness of the modern Jewish community structure. This lesson explores how the lack of top-down organization in the Jewish community and new-world individualism combine to challenge and empower individuals to choose to participate in Jewish life.
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
Rabbi Shraga Sherman (137)
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1:09:00
To be a Jew in the Free World, Lesson 6: Light Unto the Nations (1:09:00)
Lesson Six: Purpose For All Mankind In 1655, Menashe ben Israel shared a dream of redemption, moving Oliver Cromwell to readmit Jews to England. What is our role as Jews to inspire the world with a vision of universal peace and goodness? This lesson moves beyond mere Jewish continuity, and presents the idealistic vision that Judaism has for all humanity.
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
Rabbi Shraga Sherman (137)
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1:06:43
To be a Jew in the Free World, Lesson 4: Dual Allegiances (1:06:43)
Lesson Four: The Jewish Vote In 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant signed an order expelling all Jews from the area under his command. This became a defining issue in his 1868 presidential campaign. Are Jews obliged to vote as Jews? Can our concerns as Jews conflict with our duties to our Diaspora home? Where should our first allegiance lie?.
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
Rabbi Shraga Sherman (137)
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1:06:01
Voltaire vs. The Tanya: Two Roads Diverged in the Jungle of History (1:06:01)
In 1789, as the soil of Europe was transformed with the French Revolution and the ensuing Emancipation, Rabbi Schnuer Zalman of Liadi was writing a short book that would redefine the soul of Judaism for the new era
Rabbi YY Jacobson (103)
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1:01:03
The Mixed Blessings of “The American Dream” (1:01:03)
A century ago, Jewish immigrants arrived on these shores in quest of hope and opportunity. Along the way, they lost much of their Jewish identity
Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie (72)
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1:00:56
Three Visionaries Who Revolutionized Judaism (1:00:56)
Without these 3 visionaries who stepped up to the plate, Judaism might not have survived. Rabbi Abba Perlmutter brings history to life with his engaging humor, modern day examples that we can relate to, and his love of the protagonists. Every great leader needs a vacuum and the 3 Rabbis that he speaks about in this video each lived at a turning point in Jewish history
Rabbi Abba Perelmuter (63)
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59:39
American Anti-Semitism in the Twentieth Century (59:39)
From Henry Ford to the Klu Klux Klan, from World War II to contemporary times: Professor Jonathan Sarna, the foremost authority on American Jewish history, shares examples of anti-Semitic propaganda and how to best understand it. Join Jonathan Sarna for this fascinating tour of a dark side of American history
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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58:44
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and the Development of Modern Orthodoxy (58:44)
2/3s of Berlin Jews converted to Lutheranism. In the 1800s baptism was their ticket to European culture. Dr. Henry Abramson describes European society and what led the German Jews to step away from their Jewish practices and into secular society
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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58:38
The Rebbe and the Rav (58:38)
What was the special relationship between two spiritual giants of the Jewish world in the twentieth century? Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Chassidic Rebbe of Lubavitch, and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the Rav and dean of Yeshiva University’s Rabbinical Seminary represented two vastly different schools of thought
Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff (3)
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58:15
The Vilna Gaon (58:15)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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58:07
To be a Jew in the Free World, Lesson 5: A Welcoming Society (58:07)
Lesson Five: Antisemitism-Free Jewish Identity In contemporary times, the power of antisemitism to form a bulwark against assimilation has declined. We face a paradox−a desire for complete acceptance of Jews within society, while at the same time hoping that younger Jews and coming generations do not choose to assimilate and instead commit to living a Jewish life
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
Rabbi Shraga Sherman (137)
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57:44
Lincolns Jewish Chiropodist (57:44)
Issachar Zacharie has been described as Abraham Lincoln's 'most enigmatic intimate.' Who was this curious Jewish figure, what drew Lincoln to him? Learn about Zacharie s role in the Civil War, and how his actions affected his country and his people
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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56:56
George Washington's Promise Of Religious Liberty (56:56)
In 1790, George Washington sent a letter to the Jews of Newport. Hear from an esteemed historian about the significance of the letter and the role it played in the politics of the time. This lecture was delivered at the 13th annual National Jewish Retreat. For more information and to register for the next retreat, visit: Jretreat.com.
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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56:40
How Israel Raises a Multicultural Army (56:40)
In the State of Israel, the IDF is often where new immigrants begin their integration into Israeli society. Understandably, there is occasionally tension between people of different backgrounds. In this class, Rabbi Aaron Rakefet, a veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, will explore what it means to create an IDF where all Jews feel at home
Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff (3)
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55:37
Emanuel Ringelblum and the Warsaw Ghetto (55:37)
Buried for posterity, the research and writings of the Warsaw Ghetto were coordinated by Emanuel Ringelblum. Dr. Henry Abramson provides a clear, concise history of the period leading up to the war, and Hitler's goals. Dr. Abramson enumerates the factors that led to what could be considered a continuation of WW1
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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54:33
The Ba'al Shem Tov (Besht) (54:33)
Widely regarded as the father of the 18th-century Hasidic movement, Israel ben Eliezer was a popular and hugely influential teacher of Judaism in eastern Europe. This lecture, which draws on research conducted in Polish archives after the fall of Communism, sheds additional light on the life and works of the Ba'al Shem Tov.
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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54:28
The Life of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (54:28)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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53:36
Israel's Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power (53:36)
In 2007, Israel struck a Syrian nuclear reactor. How did Israel discover it? Why did it ignore President Bush's request to stand down? And what does this story teach us about the current standoff with Iran? Yaakov Katz (Editor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Post) tells the story behind his new book. This lecture was delivered at the 14th annual National Jewish Retreat
Mr. Yaakov Katz (8)
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53:34
The Chicago Mystique: Past and Present (53:34)
Jewish life in Chicago began back when the city was founded. Since then it has grown to be one of America’s largest Jewish communities, and a crown jewel among Jewish cities worldwide. Take a trip down memory lane and revisit the milestones and landmarks that mark the history of Jewish Chicago. This lecture took place at the 9th annual National Jewish Retreat
Rabbi Ephraim Moscowitz (1)
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52:57
The Cultural Geography of Jewish Eastern Europe (52:57)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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52:42
Shimon Dubnow and the Russian Revolution (52:42)
How does a Russian Czar rid his empire of a "foreign, indigestible mass", also known as the Jews? Dr. Henry Abramson explores the historical background of the Haskala movement and Shimon Dubnow's role
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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52:36
The Story's Story (52:36)
A fabrication about the Beis Halevi, Rabbi Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, first appeared in an antisemitic Russian newspaper. It was published in an Irish law journal, and later was included in several editions of a leading American Criminal Law textbook. This lecture took place at the 12th annual National Jewish Retreat
Professor Samuel J. Levine (5)
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51:51
Albert Einstein: Time, Space and the Jewish People (51:51)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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51:34
Sarah Bas Tovim (51:34)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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51:05
The Emergence of American Judaism (51:05)
From Rodrigo de Triana, the Marrano sailor aboard Columbus’s ship, the Pinta, who first spotted land in the New World, to Haim Solomon, the prime financier of the American Revolution, the Jewish people have played an integral role in the history of our country
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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50:45
Baruch Spinoza (50:45)
Dr. Henry Abramson profiles the well-known Dutch philosopher Boruch Spinoza (1632–1667). Dr. Abramson talks about his excommunication from the Jewish community, the surrounding factors that led to it and the reason for the harshness of the Rabbis in their rejection of Spinoza.
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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50:09
Antebellum Anti-Semite? Ulysses S. Grant and the Jews (50:09)
In his infamous “General Orders Number 11,” written in Oxford, Mississippi on December 17, 1862, Grant excluded Jews from his department. “The Jews, as a class, violating every regulation of trade established by the Treasury Department, and also Department orders, are hereby expelled from the Department
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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48:57
Golda Meir and the Foundations of Israel (48:57)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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48:43
Jewish History: Evgenia Ginzburg (48:43)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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47:31
Johann Eisenmenger (47:31)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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47:09
Nathan of Hanover and the Ukrainian Rebellion of 1648 (47:09)
Such a clear history of Jews in Western Europe and the Ukraine. Dr. Henry Abramson relates the factors leading up to the devastation of the Chmielnicki massacres. Nathan of Hanover is the historian of record who provides a gripping account of the pogroms and yet is even handed in his recounting of history
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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46:56
Eldad Ha-Dani (46:56)
In this fascinating Jewish history lecture, Dr. Henry Abramson relates the fantastical story of Eldad Ha-Dani's report of the legendary ten lost tribes. He describes how European Jewry reacted to his account and the affects his tale had on both Jewish and Christian visions of the ultimate redemption.
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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46:27
Bilhah Abigaill Levy Franks (46:27)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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45:48
History of the Hayom Yom (45:48)
The Hayom Yom, translated as "From Day to Day", is a collection of Chassidic thoughts, stories and customs for each day of the year. The Hayom Yom was compiled by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, targeting every person from simple to great
Rabbi Michoel Seligson (5)
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45:29
David Reubeni (45:29)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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43:41
Heinrich Heine (Poet) (43:41)
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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42:55
Moses Mendelssohn and the Enlightenment Movement (42:55)
Moses Mendelssohn was a hugely influential thinker in 18th-century Germany. An unusually gifted intellect, he became the primary spokesperson for the emancipation of Jews in the 18th century, and his cause was championed by many non-Jewish liberals of the era
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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41:51
American Judaism's Contemporary Scoreboard (41:51)
Do bagels and baseball go together? What about Shabbat and sports? Professor Jeffrey Gurock pioneered the use of athletics as a metaphor for interpreting the Jewish American story. This lecture invites us to explore the issues of Jewish integration through the lens of sports and to understand the challenges of religious survival in modern-day America.
Dr. Jeffrey Gurock (2)
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38:33
Being Jewish at Harvard in the 50's (38:33)
Nat Lewin is one of the top lawyers in the country. He has done extensive work in his field, and in particular will share with us some of his background dealing with 1st amendment issues. He will also paint us a picture of his time at Harvard Law in the 1950’s, and describe the highlights and lowlights of his experiences being Jewish on campus
Mr. Nathan Lewin (24)
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36:00
Jews & Thanksgiving (36:00)
Rabbi Pinchas Taylor (67)
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34:57
Jewish History: Rabbi Yosef Karo and the Evolution of Jewish Law (34:57)
Rabbi Yosef Caro excelled in Torah scholarship despite years of expulsions in the Sephardic world. Dr. Henry Abramson, a well known educator, and expert on the history of the Talmud, presents the life and times of Rabbi Yosef Caro. He explains what roles Rav Caro's works played in Jewish scholarship and practice from the 15th century until now
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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18:41
The History of Religion in the Public Square (18:41)
Professor Jan Feldman (4)
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18:00
George Washington’s Correspondence with the Jews of Newport - Segment 3 (18:00)
On August 17, 1790, Moses Seixas, the warden of Congregation Kahal Kadosh Yeshuat Israel, better known as the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, RI, penned an epistle to George Washington, welcoming the newly elected first president of the United States on his visit to that city
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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15:43
George Washington’s Correspondence with the Jews of Newport - Segment 2 (15:43)
On August 17, 1790, Moses Seixas, the warden of Congregation Kahal Kadosh Yeshuat Israel, better known as the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, RI, penned an epistle to George Washington, welcoming the newly elected first president of the United States on his visit to that city
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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14:49
When Grant Expelled the Jews (14:49)
Professor Jonathan Sarna recounts the unusual story of the near expulsion of the Jews in Ameria during the Civil War and how it effected American politics.
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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12:55
Marking the Yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe on 24 Tevet (12:55)
On the 24th of the Hebrew month of Tevet, we mark the yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe, founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. In this video, we take a look at the Alter Rebbe's amazing life, tireless work, and the unbelievable impact he had - and continues to have - on Jews and non-Jews alike.
Rabbi Moshe Lieberman (5)
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11:27
George Washington’s Correspondence with the Jews of Newport - Segment 1 (11:27)
This is the first segment with Dr Sarna discussion the historic events that ocured on August 17, 1790, when Moses Seixas, the warden of Congregation Kahal Kadosh Yeshuat Israel, better known as the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, RI, penned an epistle to George Washington, welcoming the newly elected first president of the United States on his visit to that city
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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11:17
The Preivous Rebbe's Self Sacrifice (11:17)
This video is an excerpt of a weekly Tanya class given by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg every Thursday night 9:00 PM at The Baal Shem Tov Library, 1709 ave J. For more information, visit: thebaalshemtovlibrary.com.
Series: Chassidic Philosophy with Rabbi Naftali Silberberg
Rabbi Naftali Silberberg (453)
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10:40
The Palestine Mandate (10:40)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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10:23
Jewish Children Forced into the Tsar's Army (10:23)
Date: August 26, 1856 Reeling from the humiliating defeat of the Crimean War, the Russian Empire decides its policy of forcibly conscripting Jewish boys into military service is counterproductive, and finally abandons the cruel decades-old policy of taking underage children into thirty-one years of military training and service.
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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9:28
Sarah Schenirer - Championing Womens Education (9:28)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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8:54
The Crown Heights Riots and Flawed Media Coverage (8:54)
Professor Ari L. Goldman (5)
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7:07
Shabbetai Tsvi: False Messiah of the 17th Century (7:07)
Date: August 1, 1626 (9 Av, 5386) Devastated and demoralized after the Khmelnytskyi Rebellion in the 17th century, Jews around Europe were astounded to hear that a young Kabbalist named Shabbetai Tsvi had proclaimed himself the long-awaited Messiah.
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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6:59
The Chofetz Chaim (6:59)
In this segment on Jewish history, Dr. Henry Abramson provides a glimpse into the life and works of Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan. The “Chofetz Chaim”’s famous work on the laws of gossip and slander, as well as his authoritative modern commentary on the Code of Jewish law have a lasting impact on the Jewish world today.
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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6:47
George Washington's Letter to the Jews (6:47)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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6:30
Rabbi Isaac Luria (6:30)
Soul Maps: Kabbalah to Navigate Your Inner World Soul Maps introduces you to the Tanya, a 200-year-old text with a revolutionary new look at human psychology. It provides Kabbalah-based tools to help you understand yourself. Until the publication of Tanya, the Kabbalah was an esoteric discipline that was studied and understood by only a select few
Series: Soul Maps
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6:17
The First Chabad Rebbe (6:17)
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, known commonly as the Alter Rebbe, was the founder and first spiritual leader of the Chabad movement. This video takes you on a brief tour of his fascinating ife and reality-altering work, including his compendium of Jewish law and his famous collection of psycho-spiritual teachings, the Tanya
Series: Soul Maps
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5:51
The Pale of Settlement (5:51)
Date: August 5, 1772 (6 Av, 5532) Officially banned in 1479, no Jews lived in the Russian Empire until Tsarina Catherine II conquered a major portion of Polish territory, instantly inheriting the largest single concentration of Jews in the world
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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5:51
Jewish Self Defense in Eastern Europe (5:51)
Dr. Glenn Dynner (6)
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5:45
The Baal Shem Tov (5:45)
Soul Maps: Kabbalah to Navigate Your Inner World Soul Maps introduces you to the Tanya, a 200-year-old text with a revolutionary new look at human psychology. It provides Kabbalah-based tools to help you understand yourself. Until the publication of Tanya, the Kabbalah was an esoteric discipline that was studied and understood by only a select few
Series: Soul Maps
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5:43
America's Attempt with a Chief Rabbi (5:43)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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5:24
Irving Berlin (5:24)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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5:14
The Mendel Beilis Trial (5:14)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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5:14
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (5:14)
Date: June 23, 1858 (11 Tammuz, 5618) In the summer of 1858, 6-year old Edgardo Mortara, a Jewish boy living in Bologna, Italy, was forcibly taken from his home by Italian police acting at the behest of the Inquisition
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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5:09
Captain Alfred Dreyfus (5:09)
Date: October 9, 1859, birthday of Alfred Dreyfus Wrongly accused of espionage, Captain Alfred Dreyfus was sentenced to Devil's Island on the basis of remarkably tenuous evidence. Many critics, including the famous writer Emile Zola, argued that Dreyfus was unfairly charged simply because he was a Jew in the French army
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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5:01
The World Needs to Respond (5:01)
Jews were persecuted for years, they have been murdered, they have been discriminated against….
Series: The Jewish Course of Why
Mr. Cary Nelson (3)
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4:53
Jabotinsky (4:53)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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4:45
Experiencing Jewish History in Modern Day (4:45)
Journalist Yaakov Katz of the Jerusalem Post shares how he experienced Jewish history in Romania with the IDF.
Mr. Yaakov Katz (8)
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4:35
Nathan the Wise (4:35)
Date: August 11, 1778 (August 11, 1778) In August of 1778, the non-Jewish writer Gotthold Ephraim Lessing wrote to his brother of a new literary project designed to further tolerance of Jews in German society. The result was Nathan the Wise, a sensation that was initially banned by the Church and heavily criticized by antisemites of the day.
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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4:32
Henry Ford's Antisemitism (4:32)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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4:22
Jacob Frank and the Burning of the Talmud (4:22)
One of the more colorful false messiahs in Jewish history, Jacob Frank made a career of conversion--first to Islam, then to Christianity, all the while leading a neo-Sabbatean movement that emphasized antinomian "purification through transgression
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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4:06
The Jews' Oath vs. Lord Rothschild (4:06)
Date: July 23, 1858 (12 Av, 5618) In 1847, the citizens of London elected its first Jew, Lionel de Rothschild, to the House of Commons. Rothschild, however, refused to take the Christian oath required of all members, and resigned without taking his seat in Parliament
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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4:05
Why Doesn't America Have a Chief Rabbi? (4:05)
Throughout history and until today, Jewish communities across the globe have appointed a central Chief Rabbi. The Chief Rabbi holds a vital position representing the Jewish populace in both legal and religious matters
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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3:47
A History of Antisemitism in U.S. Colleges (3:47)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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3:39
Janusz Korczak: Hero to Children in the Warsaw Ghetto (3:39)
Date: July 22, 1878 (21 Tammuz, 5638) Beloved for his children's stories, Henryk Goldszmidt wrote under the pen name Janusz Korczak. A lifelong advocate for children's rights, he ran an orphanage in Warsaw that was world-famous for his innovative pedagogic techniques
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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3:32
Rembrandt (3:32)
Series: This Week in Jewish History
Dr. Henry Abramson (90)
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3:31
The Second Chabad Rebbe - Rabbi Dovber Schneerson (3:31)
The 10th of the Jewish month of Kislev, marks the liberation of the second Chabad Rebbe, Reb Dovber from imprisonment in the year 1826.
Rabbi Shmuel Butman (169)
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3:24
Freedom For All (3:24)
To Be a Jew in the Free World: Jewish Identity Through the Lens of Modern History In 1790, after leading a revolution in the name of liberty, George Washington affirmed the divine and inviolable freedoms of America's tiny Jewish community
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
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3:11
Judaism of Our Choosing (3:11)
To Be a Jew in the Free World: Jewish Identity Through the Lens of Modern History The failed attempt to establish a chief rabbi in New York in the 1890s demonstrated the weakness of the modern Jewish community structure
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
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3:03
The Jewish Vote (3:03)
To Be a Jew in the Free World: Jewish Identity Through the Lens of Modern History In 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant signed an order expelling all Jews from the area under his command. This became a defining issue in his 1868 presidential campaign
Series: To be a Jew in the Free World
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2:59
Dual Loyalty: An Old Antisemitic Canard (2:59)
Professor Jonathan Sarna discusses the history of the "dual loyalty" - antisemitic canard.
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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2:46
The State Department's Definition of Antisemitism (2:46)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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2:39
When Israel's Prime Minister Stood up to the US President (2:39)
Mr. Yaakov Katz (8)
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2:09
The Worst Period of American Antisemitism (2:09)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)
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1:57
In God We Trust (1:57)
In G-d we Trust has been the motto of our country since at least 1812. This clip is an excerpt from What is our Obligation To The President and Country? .
Rabbi Pinchas Taylor (67)
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1:48
Were Jews Disproportionately Communist? (1:48)
Dr. Glenn Dynner (6)
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1:26
Why Didn't Jews in the U.S. Face Antisemitism like in Europe? (1:26)
Professor Jonathan Sarna (48)